Electrolytic process and anode



F. ANTISELL.

ELECTROLYUC PROCESS AND ANonE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I7. 1918.

Patented Ang. 19, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ZZ. z'SeZZ F.L.ANT1SELL.

ELECTHOLYTC PROCESS AND ANODE.

APPLICATION FILED UG.17.|918.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

/N VEN TUR 2 'SHEETS- SHEET 2.

FRANK L. ANTISELL, 0F PERTH AMBOY, NEW IERSEY.

ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS AND ANODE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au'g.19, 1919.

Application led August 17, 1918. Serial No. 250,291.

To all vwhomv it 'may concern Be it. known that- I. FRANKLINDEN ANTI- suu.. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Perth Amboy. county of luiddlesex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lllectrolytic Processes and Anodes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrolytic processes and to anodes suitable for use in the electrolysis of metalliferous solutions, particularly solutions containing copper such as those obtained by leaching copper bearing ores with solutions of dilute sulfuric acid.

The anodes of my invention relate particularly to those of the so called insoluble type which are not attacked by the anion set free during the electrolysis.

One of the objects of my invention is to so construct my insoluble anodes that their active ampere carrying capacity or current density will be increased and the formation of undesirable superoxidizcd compounds as f erritl sulfate thereby prevented. As the solution is lower in ferrie sulfate the cathode lis not dissolved at so great a rate and the production for a given current is greater.

Another object of my invention is to prevent or greatly decrease the occurrence of undesirable secondary reactions at the anode and thus do away with the necessity of using depolarizing chemicals. Another object is to construct the anodes in su-ch manner that they and the corresponding cathodes can be placed close together whereby the power required for the recovery of the metal from the solution is decreased and the capacity of al deposition tank increased. Another object is to so construct the anode that during the operation of my process the formation of eddy currents or an increase of circulation on the surface of the anodes will be minimized to such a degree that they will be practically effectively prevented and thereby eliminated. Another object is to construct a cheaper anode when an expensive metal must be used to withstand the action of corrosiveacids in solution. Other objects will appear from the hereinafter description.

This application is filed as a continuation in part of my application` Serial No. 227,426, filed April 9, 1918.

My anode is particularly applicable to the electrolysis of solutions containing sulfate `cliovid gas formation of ferrie sulfate at the anode of copper, such as are obtained by leaching 'copper bearing ores containing a comparatively small percentage of copper with dilute sulfuric acid, for inst-ance, in the manner set forth in mycO-pending application, Serial No. 911, led J auuary 7 1915. Such a solution might contain about 2 per cent. of copper, l per cent. of total iron and 2 or 3 per cent. of other metals, and -1 per cent. of sulfuric acid. By far the larger part of the iron in this solution is present as ferrous sulfate, and-during the electrolysis there is ordinarily formed a certain quantity of ferric sulfate, on account of the anion (S04) combining with the ferrous sulfate. This formatio'n of ferrie sulfate is objectionable for the reason that the ferrie sulfate is capable of ice-dissolving the copper and thus lowering the ampere efficiency of the tank and thereby the total energy eiliciency of the same, and it consequently lowers the production of copper from `a tank and increases the labor of attendance. Theferric sulfate thus formed iS ordinarily reduced to ferrous sulfate again by the introduction of sulfur- (SOQ). The tendency to theis largely dependent. on the Asurface of the anode. A large anode surface and consequcntly a small current density causes a greater production of ferrie sulfate than a small anode surface and a conseouent high current density. i

I am enabled to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by providing an anode of improved construction, the total surface of which is divided into a number of areas of active electroconductive material and adjoining areasof inert insulating material. These surface areas are arranged in such a manner that when the current passes from the anode to the cathode a very large area of the electrolyte will be in the path of the current between the anode and the cathode. This is of importance because the electrolytic conductivity of a solution of the charmaterial may be either depressed or elevated to someextent withl respect to the surface ot tln` areas of active material, but it is preferable to make the entire surface of the anode substantially smooth and in the same plane so that the surface of the areas of insulating material and the surface of the areas of the active material will be substantially ush with each other for the reason that when the surface of the anode is of such construction that the formation of eddy currents or an increase of circulation on the surface of the anodes will be more effectively prevented and thereby practically eliminated.

By this construction, not only will the formation of eddy currents or an increase of circulation on the surface of the anode be prevented, but the anodes can be placed nearer to the cathodes, and thus the workable ltank spa-ce is utilized to better advantage and the tank capacity is increased.

The construction of my anode is shown in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an anode embodying one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section thereof along the line 2 2 in Fig. l, showing also a cathode in longitudinal cross section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross section through a portion of the anode and cathode.

Fig. 4 is a section, partly broken away, of an anode in which the surfaces of the insulating material are slightly depressed with respect to the surfaces of the active material'. i Y

Fig. '5 is a section of an anode, partly broken away, in which the surfaces of the insulating material is slightly elevated with respectv to the surfaces of the active mate- 1'19.-

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of another form of my construction. v

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section thereof along the line 7 7 of Fig'. 6.

Fig. 8-`isv an enlarged longitudinal cross section through a portion of the anode and ay corresponding portion of a cathode.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of an anode having a modified surface formation.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on line 10-10 of F ig. 9.

Like numerals in the different figures refer to like parts.

The anode shown in Fig. 1 is composed of a sheet of lead or other insoluble electroconductive material 1, which is suspended by lugs 2 from a copper rod 3 supporting it. The said anode is provided with a series of insulating plugs 4, for'the purpose of decreasing the active surface of the anode 1, and arranged in staggered rows on the surface of the said active anode portion 1. The surfaces of the said insulating lugs 4 on both sides of the anode are ma e substan tially fiush with the respective surfaces of the active portion 1 of the anode. The said insulating plugs 4 may be made of insulating cement or any other non-conductive material suitable for the purpose.

The anode 1 is provided with insulators 5 of porcelain or any other suitable matcrial for the ypurpose of keeping thc anodcs and cathodes apart and preventing them from coming in metallic contact with cach other.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a cathode- 6 of copper arranged opposite the anode 1, the said cathode being suspended from a copper rod T in a manner similar to that of the anode.

As will be seen, Figs. a and 5 show a scction of an anode in which the surface areas respectively, of the inert material and the ative material are in different planes sli ghtly removed from each other.

In Fig. 4 the surface areas of the insulating or inert material 1 are slightly depressed from the surface areas of the active material la, and in Fig. 5 the surface areas of the insulating or inert material 4b are slightly elevated from the surface areas of the active anode portion 1".

Figs. 6, T land 8 show another form of my anode in which the material forming the active surface of the anode is embedded in a relatively good conductor which forms the main 'body of the Vanode and-the source by which the current is conducted to the active surface of the anode. Itconsists as shown in Fig. 7, of a sheet of lead or other good conducting ,material 8, which' is suspended'bymeans of lugs 9 from a copper rod 10. The active surface of the anode consists of plugs 11 of electro-conductive material having a comparativelylow electric conductivity, such as fused oxid of iron or similar material y insoluble in the electrolyte.A Both sides of tion on the. front elevation of my anode'in Fig'. 6. Insulators 13 of porcelain are provided for` the same purpose as mentioned above, namely, for keeping the'anode from metallic contact with the cathode. A portion of a-cathode 14 is also shown in the enlarged section in Fig. 8.

Instead of arranging the insulating plugs 4 as shown in Fig. 1, or fthe conductive plugs 11, as shown in Fig. 6, in staggered relation on the surface of the anode, I may arrange the same in horizontal or vertical rows, or in any other desired relation to eac-h other.

The dotted lines 15 and 15 in Figs. 3 and 8 represent the lines of current flowing from the anode to the cathode, and illust-rate that when the current passes from the anode to -plugs 11 are shown located lin staggered relaf the cathode, a very large area` of electrolyte will be in the path of the current from the anode to the cathode, and thus produce a saving in operation as explained above.

1n Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a modified construction of anode in which the surface areas of insulating or inert material 4 and the surface areas of active material 1 alternate with each other and are arranged in continuous integral lines instead of being broken, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

1tis obvious that the anode plate when formed with a smooth surface over its entire area, that is, when the surface areas of the inert or insulating material are substantially flush with the surface areas of the active material, which is the preferred form, or when the surface is formed as illustrated in Fig. 4, then yafter the anode has been used a certain length of time the surface Will ultimately have the formation which is substantially that shown in Fig. 5.

As has been` heretofore stated, while the preferred form of anode has a smooth sur-v face the entire area of which lies in substant-ially the same plane, when it is initially used, yet it is within the scope of my invention to slightly elevate or slightly depress, as the case may be, one set of surface areas from the other set of surface areas.

When carrying out the electrolysis with.

solutions of the kind described, the current density is high at the active surfaces owing to the fact that considerable portions of the anode surface are made inactive by the areas of insulating material, and consequently the generation of ferrie sulfate from ferrous sulfate is largely decreased or practically done away with, while at the same time the transfer resistance between the anode and cathode is approximately the same .as if the full area of the anode was active. By reason of the substantially smooth surface the eddy currents are reduced which tends to bring a minimum of solution into contact with the anode. At the samie time the cathode growth will be greatest opposite the center of the active surface of the anode, lwhich is a desirable feature inasmuch as it increases the affected area of the cathode, even though it be of slight degree. This is a very noticeable advantage in practice and tends to improve conditions in the electrolyzing tank.

An additional saving is obtained by reason of the small amount of slimes adhering to the anode.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An insoluble anode for electrolysis having a substantially smooth surface which is divided into areas composed of electro-conduct-ive material and areas composed of nonconductive material.

2. An insoluble anode for electrolysis, the

`arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other, the entire surface being smooth and the conductive areas iush with the nonconductive areas.

5. An insoluble anode for electrolysis composed of a sheet of electro-conductive material interposed between two sheets of insulating material, and a series of plugs of electro-conductive material passing transversely through the structure thus produced, the outer surfaces of the said plugs being flush with the respective outer surfaces of the Said sheets of insulating material.

6. An insoluble anode for electrolysis composed of a sheet of electroconductive material interposed between two sheets of insulating material and a series of plugs of electroconductive material passing transversely through the structure thus produced, the outer surfaces of the said plugsbeing flush with the respective outer surfaces of the said sheets of insulating material and the entire outer surfaces being smooth.

7. An insoluble anode for electrolysis composed of a sheet of lead interposed between two sheets of insulating material and `a series of plugs of electro-conductive material passing transversely through the structure thus produced, the outer surfaces of the said plugs being flush with the respective outer surfaces of the said sheets of insulating material and the entire outer surfaces being smooth.

8. An insoluble anode for electrolysis composed of a sheet of lead interposed 'between` two sheets of insulating material, and a series of plugs of fused magnetic oXid of iron passing transversely through the structure thus produced, the outer surfaces of the said plugs being iush with the respective outer surfaces of the said sheets of insulating material and the entire outer surfaces being smooth.

9. An insoluble anode for electrolysis composed of a sheet of lead interposed between two sheets of insulating material and a series of plugs of fused magnetic oXid of iron in staggered rows, passing transversely through the structure thus produced, the

outer surfaces of the said plugs being flush with the respective outer surfaces of the said sheets of insulating material and the entire outer surfaces being smooth.

10. An insoluble anode for electrolysis, the entire surface of which 'is substantially flat and divided into areas composed of electro-conductive material and areas composed of non-conductive material.

11. An insoluble anode for electrolysis, the surface of a side of which is divided into areas composed of electro-conductive material, the surfaces of said areas being su'bstantially smooth, and areas composed of non-conductive material the surfaces of said areas being also substantially smooth.

1:2. An insoluble anode for electrolysis having a surface divided into areas of conductive material and non-conductive material respectively, the exposed surfaces of which on one side lie in substantially the same plane.

13. An anode the face of which is provided with conductive and non-conductive surfaces distributed substantially uniformly throughout its area.

14. An insoluble anode for electrolysis, having inserts of conductive material, the exposed surfaces of which on a side of the anode lie in substantially the same plane.

15. An insoluble anode for electrolysis, made of conductive and non-conductive materials, all the electrolytic contacting surfaces on one side of said anode lying in' substantially the same plane.

16. An insoluble anode for electrolysis made of conductive and non-conductive materials, the surfaces of the non-conductive materials on a side of said anode lying in substantially the same plane.

17. An insoluble anode for electrolysis made of conductive and non-conductive materials, the surfaces of the conductive materials on a side of the said anode lying in the same plane.

18. An anode for electrolysis having iniiaaee sulating lugs projecting from a face thereof to contact with the cathode.

19. An anode for electrolysis having insulating lugs secured-to and projecting from its face to contact with the cathode.

20. An insoluble anode for electrolysis made of conductive and non-conductive materials, said anode having projections from a face thereof consisting of an insulating lug to Contact withthe cathode.

21. The method of reducing the formation of ferric sulfate in electrolysis which comprises providing separate areas on the anode surface which in the aggregate is appreciably smaller than the area of the cathode surface in an elect'rolytic cell, and passing current through said cell.

22. The improvement in electrolytic processes which consists in providing an appreciably higher current density at the anode than at the cathode of an electrolytic cell.

23. In an electrolytic process, the step which comprises passing current from the anode to the cathode so that the cross sectional area of the electrolyte through which the current passes is substantially as great as the cathode surface and substantially less than the anode surface.

24. In an electrolytic process, the step which includes forcing the current to enn ter the electrolyte from selected separated areas of contact between the anode and the electrolyte, and permitting the current to spread out in the electrolyte.

25. The method of-reducing oxidation in electrolysis which comprises providing an apprecia'bly smaller anode surface than cathode surface in an electrolytic cell, and passing current therethrough.

In witness whereof vI have hereunto set my hand at borough of Manhattan, city and State `of New York, this 16th day of August,

FRANK L. ANTISELL. :In-presence ofv C. C. BiLLrNGs. 

